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Internet Archive brings bygone games and programs to the browser
One of the inherent downsides of technology's rapid advancement is how much of its history gets left behind with each new plateau we reach. However, the great minds at the Internet Archive (IA) have come up with a way to not only preserve our past, but make it accessible via the Javascript MESS emulator that can run a slew of classic games and programs in your browser. Next time you have a hankering to futz with WordStar or play E.T. The Extraterrestrial at work, you won't have to go blow the cobwebs off the relics sitting in the office supply closet, you can just check out the IA's Historical Software Collection. From there, you're but a few clicks away from reliving a curated swath of computing's best (and worst) moments. Now if you'll excuse us, we're going to be playing The Hobbit for the the foreseeable future. [Image credit: wizzer2801/Flickr]
Internet Archive expands software collection, still needs more metadata
As technology advances we must be careful to not lose parts of history to a lack of backup and aging original sources. Since 1996, the Internet Archive has strived to preserve old radio shows, books, movies, music and artforms in their expansive digital archives, free for all to access. Now the archive has expanded its software museum, and the result is a staggering wealth of computer history for enthusiasts to dive into. Thanks to partnerships with a number of independent archives, including TOSEC archive, the FTP site boneyard, the Shareware CD Archive and Classic PC Games among others, the Internet Archive has been able to greatly expand its own databases. The expansion doesn't just cover software; documentation like an original Apple I manual is also included. If you want to appreciate how easy computer users have it these days, try and dig into this manual. You'll send prayers of thanks to Steve Jobs. At the moment, one self-admitted weakness of the collection is a lack of metadata. Each example is marked, but details about exactly what each entry contains is currently extremely limited. So while you've got access to the cover disc of the October 1995 Computer Gaming World Extra CD-ROM, the entry isn't going to tell you what demos or content you'll find inside. As time goes on the archive's metadata issue will be fixed by plucky users. In the meantime, it could probably use your help. Head over to the Internet Archive and dig into history.
Internet Archive expands software museum, invites you to dig in
Mention the Internet Archive, and our minds race back to the Wayback Machine, or its public domain treasure trove, or the broadcast news museum. Jason Scott, however, believes that we should be paying attention to what he thinks is now the biggest collection of software and software writing anywhere in the world. Thanks to the recent addition of collections like the Shareware CD Archive, FTP Site Boneyard, Classic PC Games and others, the site can now boast of some impressive exhibits, including an original Apple I manual. Scott now says he's considering improving the collection's metadata so that future generations of online treasure-hunters will actually be able to find stuff.
Internet Archive puts all TV news since 2009 online, helps you stay classy
Wish you could spend your evenings and weekends reliving the halcyon days of broadcast news? You should head on over to the Internet Archive. Founder Brewster Kahle has collected TV news from 20 major channels since 2009, and is making them available online from today. The archive stretches from the 24-hour CNN through to The Daily Show -- with whole episodes available to rent for a fee of $50 per disc. Kahle's planning to add additional years in reverse chronological order at least back to 2002, since that's when closed captioning (which the system uses to catalog the footage) was introduced. Unless, of course, we all fancy transcribing an hour or two of Channel 4 News circa 1975 to help out.
Internet Archive makes 1 million public-domain files available with BitTorrent
The Internet Archive is making over a million pieces of archived content available through BitTorrent. The site's collection of public-domain books, audio and video is being added and tracked -- with Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, Plan 9 From Outer Space and Night of the Living Dead among the top 25 most popular downloads. Unfortunately, it'll be a while until Manos: The Hands of Fate falls out of copyright, but it's something we've got to look forward to. [Original Image: The I.T. Crowd / TalkBack Thames]
Internet Archive founder wants to collect every book ever published
Not depressed enough yet about the impending death of print? This might help: Brewster Kahle, the fellow behind the Internet Archive, is in the process of gathering together every book ever published for safe storage against a future where the prevalence of digital media has utterly devalued physical texts -- it's a perhaps unreachable goal, he admits, but Kahle's warehouse is currently at 500,000 books and growing fast. The Associated Press describes the undertaking as something more akin to The Svalbard Global Seed Vault than the Library of Congress -- these books aren't being saved for lending, they're being stored for the future. If you're reading this Brewster, we recommend signing up for an Amazon Prime account. Those shipping fees can really add up fast.
Apple 'petabyte' server is open-source, keeps doctors away
What's this? Looks like the Internet Archive, everyone's favorite repository for online antiquities, has gotten its hands on a fancy new apple "petabyte" server. The new prototype device is open-source and is scalable like the PetaBox hardware that heats it. Its sliced and dried fruit output is also quite delicious, according to David Glenn Rinehart, the artist who installed the server. Though, as anyone who has followed the industry for any amount of time can tell you, there are always a few bad apples in the bunch.
Amazon, Microsoft and Yahoo unite against Google Books
Microsoft, its new pet dog Yahoo, and Amazon have decided to join together in the soon to be formed Open Book Alliance. You might expect this to be a revolutionary new collaborative effort at delivering the written word in a way that makes Google Books pale into insignificance, but you would, of course, be wrong. Far from trying to compete with Google, The OBA is set to act as the collective mouthpiece for all those opposed to Google's recent $125 million settlement deal with book publishers and authors. With the US Department of Justice already investigating antitrust concerns relating to the case, the other big dogs just couldn't restrain themselves from coming together for a united whinge. Should the settlement be cleared, it will permit Google non-exclusive rights to orphan works (those without an established writer) and will give it a 30 per cent cut of books sold via Google Books, both things that authors have agreed to. So what's there to moan about, fellas -- we all trust Google to do the right thing, right?
iPhone 101: Browser-based playlists
Call me fickle, but sometimes I don't want to hear any of the music I've got on my iPhone. What should I do when I'm away from my computer, itching for new music? Create a browser-based playlist.The Internet Archive is a tremendous source of streaming music files (among other things) that play just fine on the iPhone. Here's how to set things up. Create a new bookmark folder in Mobile Safari. I named mine "Rock." Navigate to the Internet Archive, and find some music you'd like to listen to (I chose Smashing Pumpkins) The Flash player at the top of the page will not work, but scroll down to the botto and click either of the "Mp3" files A new page will open to play the file Click "Done" at the top of the page, then touch the menu bar Add a bookmark to the file to the "Rock" folder Done! Add as many links as you like, and you've got a web-based playlist of tunes that aren't hogging storage space.
Apple.com Back in Time
I found this version of Apple.com from April 29, 1998 quite appropriate. Go to the Internet Archive, type Apple.com, and sift through some rather funny and emotional moments.I especially like the toasted Pentium II, the $55 Million Q2 Profit in the ticker, and the Beige G3. If you dig a bit further into the site from 1998, you will see the Powerbook G3 started at $5,699. Ouch.[via Appleology]
